TriMet's new Director of Equity and Diversity Johnell Bell talks about his vision for a transportation equity advisory group at TriMet, as well as hot-button issues including public input on fare increases, North Williams Avenue transportation planning, and TriMet's record of working with minority contractors in construction projects.

The Black Star Project is a Chicago-based educational reform organization founded 15 years ago by Phillip Jackson. Next week, the group's crowning glory – the Million Father March – is set to hit the high mark of actually bringing one million fathers into their children's schools, for the first time since the event began.

Portland's largest Internet providers are rolling out deals that will help the city's poorest families get online. But to become competitive up in the global economy, we need to do much more – fast. 

A teenager hospitalized in the Oregon Health and Sciences University cardiac intensive care unit last year while suffering a mental health crisis in Multnomah County Sheriffs custody, has suffered another mental breakdown during plea bargaining on Measure 11 charges against him.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A White House official says President Barack Obama will make a three-day West Coast swing next month.

Dyan Watson was an 'at-risk' kid with a 4.0 GPA at Jefferson High School. Today, as social studies coordinator at Lewis and Clark School of Education, she teaches teachers just how much they don't know about race in the classroom.

Gregoire's staffing selections have prolonged a trend that runs contrary to her vow to make diversity one of the chief initiatives of her administration. Minorities now account for more than one-quarter of Washington state residents, but Gregoire's entire senior staff is white and her cabinet of 26 has only two people of another race.

Oregon is losing ground on three key measures of child welfare, according to the 2011 Kids Count Data Book. Released last week by the national child welfare nonprofit the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Data Book profiles each state using 10 standard benchmarks.

Boise and Eliot neighbors gathered at Self Enhancement Inc., Aug. 11, to discuss gangs, violence and neighborhood safety. What they heard from the Mayor, police, outreach workers and ministers led many to commit to uniting with Portland's Black community to help struggling youth and families.